Afghan official: Drive-by attack kills lawmaker, bodyguard

KABUL – An Afghan official says that a former lawmaker and one of his bodyguards were killed after gunmen opened fire on their vehicle in the capital, Kabul.

Basir Mujahid, spokesman for the Kabul police chief, says the ex-lawmaker, Rafi Gul Afghan, and his bodyguard were gunned down on Saturday night in the northern neighbourhood of Khair Khana in the Afghan capital.

Mujahid says the attackers managed to escape. The motive for the attack was not immediately clear. A police investigation is underway.

Gul Afghan had served as deputy speaker for the upper house of Afghanistan’s parliament and most recently was an adviser to the country’s Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah.

No one has claimed responsibility for the attack.